i'm getting tired and i need somewhere to begin
by stars4redvines
Summary: dedicated to roxie for her birthday. one-shot. jefferson stops in on a royal tea party as he travels between the lands.


**author's note: h****i i'm stars4redvines and i'm the one bringing you this sone-shot which is dedicated to my lovely wife, littlemissdreamergirl who i love very much. roxie is so wonderful and supportive of everything i do and this is just a small gift for her birthday. i am not great at writing characters as they would act in their respective fandoms, so i apologize for the oocness of these characters. i hope you enjoy _i'm getting tired and i need somewhere to begin_.**

******dedicated to: my lovely, beautiful, amazing, fabulous, any and all other nice adjectives internet wife and best friend roxie or littlemissdreamergirl for her birthday.**

**warning: spoilers for chronicles of narnia and once upon a time. sorry!**

**disclaimer: i do not own the worlds of chronicles of narnia or once upon a time. i also do not own any characters associated with these fandoms. i do not even own the laptop i'm using to write this story... oh well. :P**

* * *

Jefferson knew a lot of things about his hat. He knew how it had been created, he knew how it worked; but he didn't know where all the doors went. He knew where the majority of doors went; Wonderland, Oz and Neverland were places where he went often. The other doors were a mystery to him though and he had never liked mysteries.

He paced around the doors, examining each one and wondering where to travel next. He paused before a wooden door. He had seen it before but he had never stopped to truly admire it.

It was a sturdy wooden door with beautiful and exotic pictures etched in the door. He traced his fingers over the leaping stags and the dancing fauns, across the pegasus soaring above the swimming naiads and up the magnificent tree. But his hand fell to his side as he appraised the truly most beautiful picture on the wardrobe. It was of a lion, who looked terrifyingly beautiful and wild as he stared out at Jefferson with great, royal, solemn, overwhelming eyes. Jefferson found he couldn't look at the lion for long before he had to avert his eyes.

He took in a deep breath, shook his head and reached his hand towards the door. He opened it and was astonished when two mothballs fell out. He knelt down and picked them up, rolling them in his hands as he surveyed the inside of the door and saw that it was full of fur frowned at the sight and then he stepped into the wardrobe (Because it was obvious what it was now, but why a wardrobe was the doorway to another land was something he did not know) and got in among the coats.

He went further and further in, knowing that he would soon find his way out of the wardrobe. And he did when he felt the soft fur coats around him change into hard, rough and prickly branches. He shoved his way through the branches and found himself standing in the middle of a wood with sunshine beaming down on him and clouds drifting across the sky.

* * *

Jefferson spun around and saw that between the dark tree trunks he could still see the open doorway of the wardrobe and even catch a glimpse of the interior of his hat.

He began to walk forward, leaves crunching underneath his feet and through the woods. In about ten minutes he reached a lamp-post. As he stood looking at it, wondering why there was a lamp-post in the middle of a wood, he heard a pitter patter of feet coming towards him. He turned around with a pleasant smile on his face and magic at his fingertips ready to defend himself. And soon after a faun stepped out from among the trees into the light of the lamp-post.

Jefferson blinked and let his magic return to him as he surveyed the faun in front of him. He was smaller than Jefferson and he carried over his head an umbrella. From the waist upwards he was like a man, but his legs were shaped like a goat's and instead of feet he had goat's hoofs. He had a blue silk scarf round his neck and his skin was rather reddish too. He had a strange, but pleasant little face, with a short pointed beard and curly hair, and out of the hair there stuck two horns, one on each side of his forehead. One of his hands held the umbrella and in the other arm he carried several brown paper parcels.

And when he saw Jefferson he gave such a start of surprise that he dropped all his parcels. "Goodness gracious me!" exclaimed the faun.

* * *

Jefferson watched as the faun began picking up his parcels from the ground. He bent down and picked up the nearest parcels and handed them to the faun. "Thank you, thank you!" the faun said as he settled the parcels back into this arms. He then looked up at Jefferson with curious eyes. "Good afternoon, good afternoon." said the faun. "Excuse me - I don't want to be inquisitive - but would I be right in thinking that you are not from Narnia?"

Jefferson smiled down at the faun and nodded, "You would be correct. I am a traveler from a far away land." The fawn then asked, "And would I be right to think that you are a Son of Adam?" Jefferson cocked his head to the side and replied, "My father's name was Lewis actually."

The faun shook his head as he said, "But you are in fact... Human?" Jefferson nodded and watched as a large smile spread across the faun's face. "Then surely you are on your way to visit the kings and queens!" the faun exclaimed. "Who?" Jefferson asked curiously.

"The kings and queens of Narnia are Sons of Adam and Daughters of Eve. They traveled from the far land of Spare Oom where eternal summer reigns around the bright city of War Drobe. They freed Narnia from it's eternal winter and defeated the White Witch." Jefferson's interest had piqued and he said, "I would be very interested into meeting these kings and queens of yours."

The fawn smiled and extended his hand to him, "My name is Tumnus." Jefferson clapped his hand his hand against Tumnus' and said, "Jefferson."

* * *

Jefferson studied the castle in front of him as he and Tumnus weaved through the crowds surrounding it. It was a beautiful castle, sprawling above cliffs and a glittering sea. He dodged a dog that had been reprimanding a cat and saw Tumnus glance at him. "The talking animals don't confuse you?" he asked above the murmurs of the crowd. Jefferson grinned at him in response, "I know a rabbit with a pocket watch, my friend. I doubt a bickering cat and dog would shock me."

Tumnus and Jefferson walked through Cair Paravel's gates and Jefferson saw him nod to the centaurs who were acting as guards. Tumnus led him through the hallways and passages of the castle, past wondrous tapestries and glass windows until Jefferson found himself in the great hall of Cair Paravel. He walked beside Tumnus and barely managed to hide his shock as four children sat on the thrones in the hall, holding court with centaurs and various talking animals who were nodding vigorously at whatever the blond boy was saying.

He was clearly the oldest and seemed to be the most authoritative of the four, dealing out orders to the assembled animals and centaurs. Beside him sat a young girl with black hair who was talking quietly and reminding the boy of some small details he had missed out on. She was young but very beautiful and Jefferson knew that wars would be fought over her.

On the blonde boy's other side was a younger boy with black hair who looked very serious as he listened to the orders being given and gave suggestions. He and the older boy quickly began discussing the battle strategies between themselves with the gathered creatures listening avidly. On the older girl's other side sat a small girl with brown curly hair who was listening to the two boys talking until she spotted Tumnus and Jefferson standing in the hall.

She jumped up from her throne and threw herself at Tumnus, causing him to drop his packages as he caught her. Jefferson gathered him as he watched the eldest boy wave the creatures away. Then the other royals approached the fawn and hugged him all while the youngest chattered up at him with pure joy in her eyes. They didn't notice Jefferson until Tumnus gestured for him to stand beside him and introduced him, "Your Majesties, may I present Jefferson from the far away Enchanted Forest."

* * *

Jefferson sat in his chair on one of Cair Paravel's many balconies and watched as a badger poured him a cup of tea. He accepted it and thanked her as she proceeded to pour out tea to Tumnus and their Highnesses who were all looking at him with curiosity in their eyes. They had introduced themselves to him and had invited him to their afternoon tea.

The eldest girl, Susan, took a delicate sip from her cup before smiling at him and asked, "So you are from another world?" Jefferson smiled and put down his cup and replied, "Yes your Majesty. I come from the far away land of the Enchanted Forest." "And how did you travel from your world to this one?" the eldest boy, Peter, asked. "I'm afraid I can't divulge all my secrets." Jefferson said with a smirk, "But I can tell you that it can travel between these two worlds and more still." Lucy, the youngest of them all, leaned forward eagerly, almost spilling her tea and asked, "Really? Will you please tell us about them? Please?"

Jefferson looked at the three other children who were looking at him with as eager and expression as Lucy. He leaned back into his chair and began talking about all the wondrous things he had seen on his travels; the glittering Emerald City in Oz, the marvelous tea parties with the March Hare in Wonderland, even the tales of werewolves and bandit princesses from his own world. The kings and queens were enchanted and as night fell, they moved from the balcony to the library. With the fireplace roaring and warm hot chocolate, Jefferson and the Pevensies traded stories until late in the night.

They would have continued if Lucy hadn't fallen asleep and knocked over her empty cup. Peter sighed as they picked up his baby sister and turning to Jefferson said, "I'm sorry but think it's time we retire to bed. If you want we have many guest bedrooms that you can choose from." Jefferson smiled at the young king and nodded, "I would be appreciate it, thank you."

* * *

The next morning Jefferson returned to the Enchanted Forest but only after he had promised to visit Narnia again and regale them with tales of his travels. And he kept his word; he would return as often as he could but he couldn't help but notice that if he only been gone a day, a week would have passed. He was desperate as he watched the young royals grow before his very eyes into the great monarchs that had been prophesied. It had only been a year since he had first journeyed through the wardrobe and yet ten had passed for them.

It didn't deter him from visiting but rather encouraged him as he became attached to the Narnian monarchs and their country. As he worked with Victor in his drab little world, he would feel nostalgic for Lucy's stories, Peter and Edmund's attempts at getting him to swordfight, Susan's quiet advice as he talked to her about Alice and his growing feelings for her. When Regina would demand to be taken from their world, to see what he talked about so often he refused. He didn't want her to poison what happiness he had. He was already hiding Alice from her; he didn't want to burden the kings and queens with another witch.

* * *

Jefferson watched through his telescope as Grace showed her 'parents' a picture she had painted in school. He looked away as her 'father' hugged her and her 'mother' kissed her forehead. He blinked away tears and refocused his telescope on Victor's apartment and watched as Victor poured himself some scotch and watched a black and white film. He did this every night; watched the outside world from his house where he was locked. A prisoner.

He bit his lip as he contemplated where to look next and then he made up his mind. He spun the telescope and pointed at a small house at the edge of town and watched the four children within who had no idea who they really were. He could see Lucy drawing at her desk, Susan reading with headphones in, Peter on the phone, clearly arguing with someone and Edmund watching the television. They had turned back into the children Jefferson had first met all those years ago and the only reason he could think for this was their initial travel into Narnia from another world; this world.

He felt a knot in his stomach whenever he watched the Pevensies or Grace or Victor; not remembering what they could do, not remembering who they really were. But then he smiled because the savior had arrived which meant Regina would be defeated, the curse broken and Jefferson would finally be reunited with his daughter, his friends; his family. It was this thought that allowed to sleep at night, that pushed the madness away. At nights he would sleep and dream of Alice, of Grace, of Victor and Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy.

And each night he dreamed of a beautifully wild lion roaring at the sky.

* * *

**author's note: roxie********, i hoped you enjoyed this and that i didn't ruin jefferson or the pevensies for you. ****reviews and constructive criticism are welcome and will be given virtual fairy dust while flames will be put out with a fire extinguisher. thanks for reading.**

**********- stars4redvines**


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